But there is another negative health effect of electronic media use; the potential for cyberbullying. Recognized by the American Academy of Pediatrics as a form of violence against children and adolescents, cyberbullying is the use of technology by a young person to harass, threaten, embarrass or intimidate another child or teen. The emotional harm of cyberbullying can be inflicted through intimidation through text messages or emails, spreading rumors through social media sites, and posting embarrassing pictures, videos, websites, or fake profiles.[2]

• Nearly 43% of kids have been bullied online. 1 in 4 has had it happen more than once.
• 70% of students report seeing frequent bullying online.
• Over 80% of teens use a cell phone regularly, making it the most common medium for cyber bullying.
• 68% of teens agree that cyber bullying is a serious problem.
• 81% of young people think bullying online is easier to get away with than bullying in person.[3]

Some interpersonal conflict is normal in childhood and can be beneficial to healthy growth when the child is able to resolve it successfully.  Cyberbullying differs from other forms of conflict because it is repetitive, intentional, and targeted against a specific victim. Both the perpetrator and victim of cyberbullying are minors, setting it apart from other online predatory behaviors such as stalking and pedophilia where an adult perpetrator targets a minor victim.
 

Cyberbullying differs from bullying in other significant ways. In typical bullying, the bully picks on victims who are smaller or socially isolated, whereas in cyberbullying, the bully/victim pair can be friends. They tend to belong to similar online communities and utilize the same social media sites. This social proximity of the bully/victim renders cyberbullying especially heinous by isolating the victim from his/her peers and social groups. Unlike typical bullying in the physical realm, the cloak of anonymity in the virtual space can complicate efforts to identify bullies and hinder remedial action.

* As a health care provider:

• When a young patient complains of anxiety or attention problems, consider cyberbullying as a potential root cause
• Encourage parents and guardians to talk to their children about bullying
• When you discover a child is harassed or intimidated by peers, advise parents to discuss bullying with the school principal or guidance counselor

Resources  

Sexting and Texting: Safe Social Media (Grades 7-10): 

This program offers students the opportunity to look at what can potentially happen to images and messages posted online using the technology of today. Students will hear that they need to protect their future, both online and in person, through the responsible use of social media and computer apps. Discussion includes sexting, texting, and IM-ing negative messages and the effects they can have on both the recipient and sender. Videos, discussion, and activities will demonstrate how harmful these seemingly anonymous actions can be.

Contact the center at (260) 456-4511 or mcmillen@mcmillencenter.org